Review: Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema Handbook

If you or a loved one has COPD, read The Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema Handbook.

The second book that I have read about COPD, written for patients was a pleasure, interrupted only by a walk in the woods with my golden retriever, Mollie Tamalie. This paperback is the second edition of a successful collaboration between Francois Haas, a pulmonary physiologist, and his wife Sheila, a psychologist who is the editor of a complementary medicine newsletter. The book is greatly enhanced by the many unique and original ink illustrations of their colleague Doctor Axen.

The 300 page book, with a retail price of only $16, covers the full spectrum of issues faced by patients with COPD, from expectorant herbs to sexual positions and portable oxygen. The chapters about lung physiology and function are so clear that they should be read by every medical student and respiratory therapist.

I enjoyed the apt analogy that the effect of emphysema on the lungs is "like tearing down the interior walls of a building of multi-room apartments, until each apartment is like one large room." Many readers will identify with and learn from the stories of several patients with COPD.

The authors emphasize the benefits of pulmonary rehab programs and a positive attitude. They include a chapter advice from two top herbalists describing complementary therapies for COPD, including garlic, propolis, kava, and NAC.

I liked the topical political and economic discussions. Since the book was written in 1999, a few sections on therapy need updating, such as the greatly enhanced smoking cessation rates when bupropion or verenicline are used. I was a little surprised with their statements that long-acting bronchodilators are entirely safe and usually effective, which differs from my experience.

Overall, I give this book five stars.

Related Topics: Secondhand Smoke Dwindles, Indoor Air Pollution: Are You at Risk?

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